Vicar to express solidarity with Anglican victims

A VICAR from St Paul and St Silas, Birmingham, the Revd Jemima Prasadam,
will visit her former homeland in India to express solidarity with Anglican
parishes devastated by the tsunami disaster.

She is in touch with the Revd Phamuel, a priest in the Marakannam area of
Tamil Nadu in Chennai diocese, who told how he saw "a dark shadow the size of
palm trees approaching" while in the church grounds.

He said he realised something catastrophic was going to happen, and told his
congregation to run. Unfortunately not everyone could move quickly, and a young
girl and old lady drowned inside the church building. In the neighbouring
church, 42 people died while taking part in a prayer meeting.

Ms Prasadam said she was also in touch with a Christian evangelist who was
working in the Nagapattinam area, where 2300 people died when the tsunami
struck. Many of the dead had been on a pilgrimage to the shrine of Velankanni
at the time.

Ms Prasadam said the whole community, irrespective of religion, had been
working together to raise funds for the disaster.

A Christian charity, Opportunity, is asking churches to contribute to
the rebuilding of fishing communities in Tamil Nadu. Visit www.opportunity.org.uk or phone 01865 811474.

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